Johannesburg, July 30 (IANS) Twelve venues across co-hosts South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, including iconic stadiums like the Wanderers Stadium, Newlands Cricket Ground, Kingsmead Cricket Ground and Boland Park, will host the matches during next year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
The 50-over mega spectacle, which will have 14 teams participating in a new three-stage format that will deliver more competitive cricket, will feature 57 matches offering greater context, competitiveness and consequence. In 2027, Australia will be defending their ODI World Cup title that they won in India in 2023.
The venues for the mega events were unveiled in a spectacular ceremony in Johannesburg and will include eight cities across South Africa, three in Zimbabwe and Namibia’s capital Windhoek.
The matches in South Africa will be hosted at the Wanderers Stadium (Johannesburg), Centurion (Tshwane), Newlands Cricket Ground (Cape Town),
Kingsmead Cricket Ground (Durban), St George’s Park (Gqeberha), Mangaung Oval (Bloemfontein), Boland Park (Paarl) and Buffalo Park (Gqeberha City, formerly known as East London).
Zimbabwe will host matches in Harare Sports Club (Harare), Queens Sports Club (Bulawayo), and Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium (Victoria Falls), while Namibia will host its matches at the Namibia Cricket Ground in Windhoek, the ICC informed in a release on Thursday.
The marquee 50-over competition returns to Africa after 24 years. Back in 2003, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya hosted the eighth Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Set to host the world’s top 14 teams, the three host countries for 2027 are united by a spirit of optimism, diversity and community under the ‘Three Nations, One Heartbeat’ brand.
The 14th edition of the showpiece event is set to host the cricketers from across the world, imbued with the African message of ‘Ubuntu’, a philosophy that translates to “I am, because we are”, the belief that we as humanity are defined by our compassion, kindness and connection to one another.
This is in line with the ‘Make the Circle Bigger’ philosophy, which is at the heart of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, bringing together a rich tapestry of cultures, 29 officially recognised languages and a vast mosaic of identities that unite the region.
“This marks an exciting milestone on the road to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027,” ICC Chairman Jay Shah said. “The unveiling of the host cities and the tournament brand signals the start of a journey that will unite fans around the world and build anticipation for one of our sport’s biggest global events.
Jay Shah also said, “The return of this prestigious tournament to Africa after 24 years is a landmark moment for cricket. We are confident that South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will deliver an unforgettable event, showcasing the warmth, passion and rich diversity that make this region truly unique.”
ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta added, “The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup marks the return of the pinnacle event to Africa after more than two decades and will celebrate a continent defined by extraordinary people, vibrant cultures, breathtaking experiences and deep love for Sport.”
“The vibrant brand unveiled today reflects the energy, ambition and spirit of the event, while every host city offers fans a unique opportunity to experience the warmth and diversity that make Africa truly memorable.
“Combined with the meaning delivered by the growth of the game and inspiration for new generations of fans, the event will assume regional and global significance,” he said.
Present to mark the momentous occasion were South Africa cricketing icons Graeme Smith, Makhaya Ntini, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada, alongside Zimbabwe’s Hamilton Masakadza and Namibia’s Rudolf Jansen van Vuuren.
The visual anchor of the much-anticipated tournament is derived from a single geometric form inspired by the African wire bowl, featuring colours such as Zimbabwe Chilli, the African Root, Fynbos pop, Namib Dune, Harare Dawn and Two Oceans.
Since having co-hosted the 2003 Men’s Cricket World Cup, South Africa have played host to several major ICC tournaments from the inaugural ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (2007), the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (2023), the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cups (2020 and 2024) and the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup (2023).
While Zimbabwe were also the co-hosts for the 2003 edition of the tournament, Namibia will roll out the red carpet for their maiden senior ICC tournament as hosts. Both countries had hosted the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup earlier this year.
–IANS
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